Can you take photography classes at home and really benefit from them? If so.. any recommendations of schools?

Answer 1

I have to agree with fhotoace up to a point. No doubt having the interaction with classmates and an instructor is important. Obviously it can't be replicated.

However, IMO, if there are no classes locally and you can't just up and move to where there are classes, or your work/family obligations make classroom instruction impossible, then a correspondence course might be worth considering. The New York Institute of Photography (nyip.com) offers correspondence courses and has been in business since 1910.

With email, feedback is much quicker. Still not as good as classroom instruction but much better than no instruction at all. IMO its worth considering. A correspondence course requires self-discipline and is not for those prone to procrastination.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Believe it or not that's how I started!

I read about photography mostly from magazines and took a real interest asking my local camera retailer loads of questions.

Amateur Photography is one of the magazines I read and gradually I picked up other publications and read my camera manual front to back.

Eventually I went off to college and then to university. You can do a lot on your own if you have the interest. There are a number of very good distance photographic courses where you submit images for marking.

It is best to get hands on tuition but, no its not absolutely necessary. Depends on you and how motivated and interested you are. Working alone is what photographer do anyway.

Link : http://www.nyip.com/courses/